Parkinson's at Navajo Nation: Best of the Rez Week 18

Best of the Rez Week 18 May 15^th through May 22^nd

Well, there were no huge lows but at the same time there were not any huge highs. However, there was a fair share of comedy, if you were not the family involved. So come along, and ride the journey of week 18.

1) Sunday seemed like a huge day for us. We had a very busy but good day at church with our Seminary Graduation, helping the youth play the piano, Elder Parkinson handling the Executive Secretary, teaching the youth Sunday School class and then doing sharing time and singing time. It went great but we were beat. I already mentioned that we had a couple of great lessons, and then we had another temple preparation lessons that was so good. It was a great day and we were just exhausted at the end.

2) Monday was Seminary where we taught President Gordon B Hinckley. Our computer didn’t cooperate great, but it went pretty well. The day was cold so we did not go outside like we had planned but worked on the inside of the house. That night we had piano lessons and taught Selena the first aid things for girl’s camp. Then we rushed to an appointment where we taught the Priesthood Restoration. That was so good. Followed by another rush to Round Rock where we taught a part member family. I think that lesson went well also. At least the day felt busy but rewarding to us.

3) Tuesday was another cold, windy day on the Rez. We worked inside all day and had a complete bomb with appointments and piano lessons. Oh well, we accomplished a few good things.

4) Wednesday was our closing day for seminary. We invited the girl that is joining us next year and fixed pancakes while they watched the video about President Monson. I will not miss getting up and ready for teaching so early, but we will really miss seminary. The rain just poured. The day is basically piano day. I taught 9 lessons while Elder Parkinson played ball and handled getting interviews into the Bishop. Tivona and Kaylana decided to beat the tar out of him playing full court basketball, so he changed the game to hide and seek and then never went to find them. They rolled themselves up in a carpet and waited for over 15 minutes for him. We sure laughed about that.

5) Thursday we picked up Sister Tsosie and headed out visiting teaching. We found this darling lady that wants to come to church so bad, but she has no ride. Sister Tsosie told her that she is preparing to go through the temple, so now Sister Yazzie wants to come too. It was really cute. Then we headed to Wheeler’s for another temple prep. Crystal Wheeler is Sister Tsosie’s granddaughter, and Cyrus Wheeler’s dad was there, so we made it a family lesson. It was so good. We had lunch and took Sister Tsosie home. We headed home to get our doors fixed, but they didn’t show. That afternoon, we taught the Price’s. They are the ones that came and asked to be baptized after our first baptisms, but at our first meeting the informed us that baptism was great, but they did not want to get married. We said we would teach them and see how it all went. Today was the day, we told them they had to get married to be baptized. “Okay, but can’t we just go to the justice of the peace, and not have a big ceremony.” HEAVENS YES!! We explained the Bishop could do it without any fanfare at all, and they were just as happy as could be. Let’s hope this goes through. That night we went out and saw Brent but our other appointment had to leave so we got home early – that is almost a yeah.

6) Friday the weather was finally good so we had a nice walk and planted the garden. We no sooner walked in to eat before it started to rain. The Roger’s (our district leaders for one more week) came over and fixed our doors and played WII with us. We laughed a lot. We are going to miss them big time. Please someone—come to Chinle and teach Seminary. That night we taught the Thomas family again, the first temple prep class. They really seem excited.

I think I have mentioned how no one will hold a job. Well, I took the Primary book and ask them to teach their son’s class. They almost cried they were so excited. In his prayer he said how happy he was to be asked to teach and for blessings to do a good job. It was really sweet and we are seeing a lot of progress there.

After that lesson we rushed to Wheeler’s for another one of their birthday parties. What a feast. Brother Gene (a little guy known as chubby) cooks up a storm and we just love to watch him cook and eat his food. He really takes care of us. FUN NIGHT!

7) We found out that one of our less active members mother had passed away and her funeral was in Chinle on Saturday. We canceled piano and basketball and headed to the funeral. As we were parking we almost wrecked with this suburban coming around the parking lot in a real rush. As we entered the church we saw the Roger’s standing there. They explained that the mortuary (some 100 miles away) had brought the wrong body to the funeral. Everyone was in the room and when they opened the casket, instead of Sister Benally, there was a man. They had to rush back and change bodies. The suburban had the right body. Needless to say that funeral was a little late. The Bishop at Chinle conducted the services. He gave the opening prayer, then asked if there was any one to do a life sketch (there was), then he talked for about 40 minutes, and then he gave the closing prayer. Okay!
After the funeral, it was Chinle’s seminary graduation party and they asked us to participate. They had a Hawaiian Luau. There was tons of food and we had a really good time.
We headed home to teach a family that we have been trying to schedule forever, and I think that went well also. They asked for a blessing for their daughter. We fixed supper for the Elders and that is always fun. Hamburgers and Dutch Oven potatoes. HUMM!
It has been really fun finding out about all these people that read our blog. The other day a mother of one of the Rez missionaries left a comment and low and behold, her son is our new missionary, Elder Mears from Spokane, Washington.

8) And that brings us to Sunday. We had the MOST AMAZING high counsel Sunday ever. The talks were out of this world—so good. One little girl in the ward finally came up and asked for piano lessons. I have taught her three lessons and today she played ‘Jesus the Very Thought of Thee’ for the opening hymn. The speaker really praised her and then came down and played a piece for her. WOW was he good. I was so tickled for Tinisha, and believe me she needs the success. Then when 10 year old Scott played the closing song, Brother Gillespie was so proud of those kids. To anyone else in the world, they wouldn’t be worth listening to, but here on the Rez when you haven’t had a piano played for 20 years, it is wonderful.
After church Sister Tsosie didn’t have a ride back to Chinle, so we had her come in and eat with us. Then we went out to show the Elders where someone lived and walked into some of her relatives holding a birthday party. We made a few appointments and had some good laughs. Then we went and found another little old Navajo speaking woman. Again, Sister Tsoise has her convinced that she needs to go to the temple. Anyone out there want to donate a bus, so we can drive around and bring all these people to church. It was quite the visit. Sister Taylor said that her knees hurt so Sister Tsosie told her to get a blessing from the Elder. She is quite the missionary for us.

And so ends another week. Since we are not the family involved, we cannot stop laughing about the wrong casket at the funeral. The family just went into shock when it was not their mother. I would say only on the Rez, but I am quite sure that is not true.

I hope all is well for all of you. School is ending, tennis is over, graduation is here and the summer is on its way. Ah, the good life. We taught about the rich man and the widow’s mite today. ‘He that forsakes all shall be rewarded 100 times.’ As we read the verse, we looked at one another and decided all is well.

The Church is True,

Enjoy the ride,

God’s health and happiness to you all,

Elder and Sister Parkinson